Officials Turn Down Anti-lobby Measure

MIAMI — The former chief of staff for Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas quit in June -- only to return months later as a business lobbyist.

Should Brian May and others like him be banned from lobbying government officials for two years after they leave?

No, says the County Commission. Last week, in 8-5 vote, commissioners defeated an anti-lobbyist measure that would have prevented former senior government employees from lobbying for two years after they quit.

Currently, former employees are prohibited for two years from lobbying officials on issues in which they were "personally and substantially" involved. The anti-lobbyist proposal, according to Commissioner Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, was meant to prevent the kind of insider influence that led to costly contract mistakes at the Port of Miami, Miami International Airport, and the sewer and water department.

The proposed ban would have affected the mayor and 13 commissioners, staff members, the county manager and senior staff.

"People in Dade County recognize we have a problem with the revolving door," Diaz de la Portilla said. "The spinning has to stop."

But several of his colleagues disliked his apparent targeting of May, another former mayor's aide, Fred Balsera, and commission chairwoman Gwen Margolis' former chief of staff, Courtney Cunningham. They are all registered Miami-Dade lobbyists.

"Let's be fair to those who left," said Commissioner Barbara Carey. "You can't go back and affect those people who are already out there."

While Diaz de la Portilla's idea may be dead, a similar proposal by Commissioner Bruno Barreiro is expected to surface next month. But his two-year lobbying ban, considered "hostile" by Diaz de la Portilla, would not affect former senior county employees.

May said he supports Barreiro's plan. "I think there should be a grandfather provision," May said. "It's the right thing to do. It's the fair thing to do."